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The Blog


Nurturing Organizational Wellness: A Leadership Imperative
In the fast-paced and ever-evolving landscape of the world, leaders play a pivotal role in steering their organizations toward success. Beyond traditional metrics of profitability and growth, there is a growing awareness of the importance of organizational wellness. Just as individual well-being is crucial for personal success, a healthy organizational environment is vital for sustained prosperity. In this blog, we will explore the concept of organizational wellness and del
Dianne McKinley
Dec 6, 20232 min read


Boosting Staff Morale in Schools: Introducing Our Staff Appreciation Solution
In the world of education, the well-being and motivation of teachers and staff play a crucial role in the overall success of our schools. A positive and supportive atmosphere can significantly impact the quality of education and the happiness of educators. It’s no secret that motivated and appreciated teachers are more likely to go the extra mile to create a thriving learning environment for their students. That’s why, at INcompassing Education, we are thrilled to introduce o
Dianne McKinley
Nov 16, 20233 min read


Boosting Student Attendance: How Schools Can Make a Difference
One of the most critical aspects of a successful education system is ensuring that students attend school regularly. Improved student attendance leads to better academic outcomes and overall student well-being. However, in recent years, absenteeism has been on the rise, posing a significant challenge to both school leaders and teachers. This blog will delve into the causes of increased absenteeism and provide practical strategies for school leaders and teachers to address thi
Tiffany Creager
Nov 15, 20234 min read


Nurturing Resilience: Tips for School Leaders to Prevent or Treat Burnout
Working closely with students who have endured trauma can have a profound impact on the mental and physical health of educators. This type of work can lead to secondary traumatic stress, empathic distress, and even burnout. Recognizing and addressing this impact while integrating supportive strategies into the workplace is not only crucial for the well-being of these dedicated professionals but also for boosting morale, increasing job satisfaction, and ultimately enhancing pr
Dianne McKinley
Oct 4, 20234 min read


Trauma-Informed Schools
What is a trauma-informed school? It is a setting where trauma is understood, recognized, and responded to in ways that empower those who are affected. The goal of trauma-informed schools is to put in place supports that help children cope. Read this article to learn more.
Dianne McKinley
Sep 18, 20233 min read


Mindful Mondays
As a school social worker, I love to learn about ways to support student and staff mental health and social emotional learning! I read books, listen to podcasts, attend trainings, complete certifications, and pour myself into learning the best ways to create sustainable positive changes in schools for students and teachers. I’ve always been incredibly fortunate to work with administrators and educators who are open to me sharing what I learn and who collaborate with me to try
Tiffany Creager
Sep 18, 20233 min read


Self-Regulation Strategies for Middle and High School Students
Over the past few years, I’ve heard the same question come up over and over – “how do we help our middle and high school students self-regulate?” It begins with understanding! Whether we reflect on our own experiences, have adolescents in our home, or work with students who are between the ages of 11 and early 20s, we understand that there are some significant shifts in behavior and functioning during this time! Students are seeking to understand themselves and how they fit i
Dianne McKinley
Sep 18, 20237 min read


Social Emotional Intelligence: A Key to Success in Modern Education
Social emotional intelligence is a crucial aspect of modern education that has gained increasing attention in recent years. Social emotional intelligence (SEI) refers to the ability to identify, understand, and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others. It involves developing empathy, building meaningful relationships, and effectively communicating with others.
Dianne McKinley
Sep 18, 20235 min read


Student Social Emotional Check-In Ideas
Daily or weekly social emotional check-ins with students provide a quick way to include student voice, encourage self-awareness, and teach social awareness. Social emotional check-ins are an important part of the classroom environment, as they provide students with a safe and secure space to express their feelings and emotions while also helping teachers understand their students on a deeper level, allowing them to better meet their needs. Additionally, social emotional check
Dianne McKinley
Sep 18, 20235 min read


The Importance of Quality Professional Development
We all know that teaching is a profession that truly is a calling. Teachers who stay in the profession for a long-time care deeply about the students and the subject they are teaching. I know, I was in the classroom for over 33 years. We also know that the demands on teachers have increased greatly over recent years.
Here in Indiana, this year is especially hard on teachers with a completely new set of academic standards that were adopted in June. There are new high-sta
Dianne McKinley
Sep 18, 20234 min read


Ignite the Spark: Overcoming Student Apathy
In the realm of education, one of the greatest challenges faced by teachers, parents, and students alike is student apathy. Apathy can manifest in various ways, such as lack of interest, disengagement, or a general feeling of indifference towards academic pursuits. However, overcoming student apathy is not an insurmountable task.
Dianne McKinley
Sep 14, 20233 min read


6 Tips for Retaining Teachers
Let’s face it. Recruiting, hiring, on-boarding, and training new teachers is time consuming, expensive, and exhausting. Schools with a high turnover rate struggle to maintain a healthy culture. Additionally, the inconsistency in staff leads to gaps in programming, curriculum, and common language and understanding across the building. Teacher retention should be at the top of our to-do list as educational leaders. To help you achieve this goal, we’ve put together some top tips
Dianne McKinley
Sep 6, 20233 min read


Get the Students Talking and Doing!
As I have visited classrooms and observed teachers teaching their classes, I am noticing a very common trend. The learning their students are doing is very passive and somewhat compliant. In a quote attributed to many different sources from Confucius to Benjamin Franklin says, “Tell Me and I Forget; Teach Me and I May Remember; Involve Me and I Learn” and it has been proven many times and, in many ways, to be true. It used to be the standard norm in a classroom in rows all
Dianne McKinley
Aug 1, 20236 min read


Teacher Recruitment: Steps Involved, Challenges, and How Professional Development Can Play an Important Role in It
Teacher recruitment refers to the process of attracting, selecting, and appointing qualified individuals to work as teachers in educational institutions. It is an essential aspect of maintaining a strong and competent teaching workforce. Teacher recruitment involves various strategies and activities aimed at identifying potential candidates, assessing their qualifications and suitability for teaching positions, and ultimately hiring them to fill vacant teaching positions.
Dianne McKinley
Jul 11, 20236 min read


How to Improve Students’ Writing Skills
Writing skills refer to the ability to express thoughts, ideas, and information effectively through written language. This includes the ability to organize ideas, use proper grammar and punctuation, and tailor writing to a specific audience or purpose. Read this article to learn more on how to improve students’ writing skills.
Dianne McKinley
May 25, 20234 min read


Summer Reading Challenge
Most education professionals, regardless of whether they are on a year-round or a school-year contract, think of the summer as a time to rejuvenate and do all the things there wasn’t time for during the school year. For me, that means time to catch up on reading, personal and professional. It also means I have a little time to think about what I’m reading and explore some new things. I don’t want to get stuck in a rut and just keep reading the same author or type of book over
Dianne McKinley
May 24, 20232 min read


Empowering Teachers: Four Must-Read Books for Social Emotional Learning
I’ve listed four books below that I believe address some of the biggest struggles I’ve seen in the areas of social emotional learning this year. From student apathy to educator burnout, these are great resources for creating positive change!
Dianne McKinley
May 24, 20235 min read


Why Instructional Coaching is Critical
According to the research, instructional coaching has proven to be the most effective type of professional development. The professional relationship between the coach and the teacher allows for maximum growth, a deep understanding of the classroom teacher and students, modeling of best practices, and consistent support.
Dianne McKinley
May 22, 20233 min read


Summer Reading List for Teachers
Summer is both a time of relaxation and preparation for teachers. As educators, we are always looking for ways to improve our instruction. We put together a summer reading list for teachers that are perfect for poolside reading.
Dianne McKinley
May 18, 20235 min read


Decodable Text 101
As educators begin to shift practice, it is important to build a common understanding among each other. Then when we partner with others we are speaking the same language and have the same understanding.
This month’s post is going to help you get started by answering three important questions: What is decodable text? Why is decodable text important? And Where can I find decodable readers?
Dianne McKinley
May 9, 20233 min read
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